La Delicious Bread — Restaurant in Maplewood

Met a friend at La Delicious Bread 4/11/2023. We usually meet up monthly. The last couple times were at Taste of Scandinavia, a bakery/café about a mile north (Rice/Little Canada Road) of La Delicious. One time after Taste, she stopped off at La Delicious (she’d been there before) to pick up some bakery items for her family. She said the bakery there was excellent. I had googled it afterward and, although it had mostly positive reviews, some of the negative ones made me wonder if I wanted to try the place. Yet, when she recently suggested La Delicious I agreed. We were meeting at 11:00 a.m. so I decided to check out the menu ahead of time to see if there were any sandwiches, etc. offered. According to the website, there are six sandwiches offered—5 bahn mi (only one without meat—I’m a vegetarian) and another one with salami. Salads are equally limited—two Mediterranean (one with meat, the other without) and a fruit salad. The restaurant has very limited seating—only five tables and, if I recall, four had two chairs each and the fifth had four chairs. Since the sandwich and salad options didn’t appeal to me, I chose a small coffee ($2.50 which I thought was rather pricey for the size) and a chocolate almond “croissant.” My friend ordered the same plus a strawberry croissant and some other chocolate thing to go. Might be picky in saying this but the chocolate almond “croissant” was NOT a croissant. If one googles the word, one of the first hits shows what a croissant looks like—it’s somewhat domed in the middle and pointed at both ends. The butter and strawberry croissants at La Delicious looked like croissants but some of the other “croissants” definitely did not. The chocolate almond resembled a somewhat flattened scone. As I was eating it, I wondered where the chocolate was. When I was about halfway done, I finally found it—I bit into a stick of chocolate. I suspect that when the “croissant” was made, a stick or two of chocolate was put inside with the thought that during the baking the chocolate would melt and spread. That didn’t happen. Panera has much better chocolate croissants (no almonds on it, though)—looks like a croissant, has chocolate drizzled on the top and the inside has a nice layer of melted chocolate. Furthermore, like a true croissant, the Panera one is very flaky. The one I had at La Delicious wasn’t. My friend asked how I liked my “croissant.” Since she had suggested the place and had ordered the same thing, I was put on the spot. I lied and said it was good. She remarked that she thought it was good, too. Prices aren’t listed on the website. I think my “croissant” was about $4. I would have ordered the strawberry croissant but that was $6 or $6.25. I’ll pay that much for a good loaf of bread but not for one pastry. I’ll continue heading up the road to Taste of Scandinavia which has a decent variety of bakery items (not quite as many as La Delicious) and also an extensive breakfast...

La Delicious Bread Is, In my opinion, The best French bakery in the MSP area. From the moment my father and I walked through the door, it was evident that this establishment was more than just a bakery- It is a testament to passion, dedication, and the artistry of its owner Chef Tieng Vang and his son Brandon Vang.

One of the features that immediately stood out to me is their commitment to using high-quality ingredients, most of which are meticulously imported to ensure an authentic French taste. This dedication to sourcing the finest components is immediately evident in the pastries, each a masterpiece of flavor and texture. The croissants, in particular were flaky, buttery delights that transported us to the charming streets of Paris with every bite.

What truly sets apart this bakery is the palpable passion that Chef Tieng Vang and his son bring to their craft. Its more than a business; its a labor of love. This devotion to quality and authenticity is reflected in the detectible offerings and the inviting atmosphere that permeates this bakery.

Our experience was further enhanced by the warmth and kindness of the ladies who served us. Their beautiful smiles and helpfulness added and extra layer of charm to our visit, making us feel not just like customers, but cherished guests. Its these personal touches that elevate La Delicious Bread from being merely a bakery to a community hub that fosters connection and camaraderie.

As a family with French and Polish roots, Finding representation in our local communities (we are not from Maplewood and had to travel about an hour to get there) has been a rare experience . La Delicious Bread , however, Became a bridge that helped us feel more at home. The lack of representation in my families surrounding area often left us feeling a little like outsiders, we don't quite belong to America, yet we don't quite belong to Europe anymore either, we feel as if we are in the middle, but this morning, within the walls of this charming bakery, we found a sense of belonging that had long eluded us.

To Chef Tieng Vang and Brandon Vang, we extend our heartfelt gratitude. La Delicious Bread is more than a bakery; its a beacon of cultural connection and culinary excellence that has left both are hearts and stomachs full. I think its safe to say that my father and I will be...

I’ve been coming here ever since I moved to the Twin Cities about a year and a half ago. It’s usually great, but two new trends are concerning me.

Roughly a few months ago they hired a younger set of kids to work the front cash register and the coffee bar. Ever since they’ve been on staff, I’ve noticed my white chocolate raspberry lattes never taste right. They leave out one of the flavorings, or even the espresso itself. Then when you ask for a remake I notice they tell their bosses “But I didn’t forget the espresso” or something to that effect. Bub, you did, and if it was sanitary to let you try my white chocolate raspberry milk you just made me, I’d prove it to you. It typically takes a seasoned employee who I’m familiar with stepping in to remake the coffee in question for me to get what I ordered.

Also, they are starting to run out of certain pastries before noon. The last two times I’ve gone in they’ve either been out of chocolate croissants or almond croissants, and those are the main pastries I make the drive for. They literally never ran out of anything until maybe 3 or 4 o’clock in the afternoon until these younger kids were hired some months ago. Sorry to be stereotypical about the Gen Z’s, but it’s true. They also seem very distracted, or they’re just not taking their work seriously. When I walked in today there was no line. Stood at the counter for about 20-30 seconds. A young lady said in a frustrated tone, “Will someone get the front?” as she was already busy and the young man (Gen Z recent hire) standing near the coffee bar was just shooting the breeze with a fellow young employee.

My final complaint: my chocolate croissant had way too much almond extract in it, and the center was pretty soggy instead of having its usual crispness and even flavor. It tasted like it was made by someone who hadn’t been trained well.

Anyway, when the owner and his family members are running the show, pastries, food coffee, and service is stellar. When the Gen Z kids are on shift, my heart sinks a little, because my order is usually incomplete or wrong. The owner should keep it a family affair and get rid of these new Gen Z kids. They just don’t seem to take their work seriously and don’t seem to care much about...